1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a system for automatically landing an aircraft using image signals, and, more particularly, to a system for automatically landing an aircraft using image signals and a method of controlling the system, which are capable of automatically landing an aircraft at a landing location using a landing mark provided at the landing location and imaging equipment configured to detect the landing mark.
2. Description of the Related Art
In order to land an aircraft, particularly an unmanned aircraft, a landing method based on an external pilot's control, a landing method using a parachute or a net and an automatic landing method using an Instrument Landing System (ILS) have been used.
However, the landing methods require the maintenance of additional manpower and the provision of additional facilities. In order to solve these problems, a way of automatically landing an unmanned aircraft by radar has been used.
In detail, this prior art system for automatically landing an aircraft uses a technique of radiating radar waves from the ground to the unmanned aircraft by radar, calculating the distance between the unmanned aircraft and a landing runway by determining the time of arrival of the radar waves, and controlling the unmanned aircraft so that it can safely land at a landing location with the distance to the landing runway and the altitude of the unmanned aircraft integrally taken into consideration.
However, the system for automatically landing an aircraft having the above-described construction has a defect in that high cost equipment needs to be installed on the ground so as to radiate the radar waves.
Furthermore, there is a problem in that radar waves are easily exposed to disturbances which interrupt the radio waves.